Thoughts from the Leading Edge of Human Resources

The Countdown to my 100th Post is On!

by Jane Watson on September 28, 2017

Well, times flies when you are trying to think of something coherent to say 100 times…that is how the saying goes, right? Maybe not…I can tell you that it does feel like yesterday that I started blogging in an unnoticed corner of the internet, and a lot has happened since then (that was in 2012).

I’m glad I’m still here, and over the coming weeks I’m going to countdown to post 100 by sharing my top 5 most-read posts of all time (and some that I like that hardly anyone read…ha ha).

So, let’s get started. As of today, my 5th most-read post of all time is:

“New Institutional theory offers an explanation for why organizations make the decisions to behave in the ways that they do. It is grounded in the belief that organizations who operate in an ambiguous context are often driven to pursue ‘institutional legitimacy’. That is, an organization will be driven to act in ways that seek to legitimize its existence, status and power by conforming to prevailing notions of what such an organization ‘should’ look and act like. Davis and Powell describe this occurring through conformity with “rational myths” (which sound eerily similar to ‘best practices’), the efficacy of which is presumed on the basis of their wide adoption, rather than any concrete evidence.”

“During my time in Vegas, I became preoccupied with what a terrible, meaningless death it would be to get hit by one of the many trucks driving around Vegas day and night, displaying large billboards advertising hookers (“Canadian Tourist Dies After Hit and Run Involving Truck of Hookers”).

If after 2 hours in Vegas you don’t know that the grimy underside of sexual exploitation is a mere phone-call away, you are likely unconscious, and may need your stomach pumped. Similarly, at an excellent French restaurant we dined at mid-week, I was relieved to be informed by a sign at the hostess desk that swimwear was not acceptable attire for dinner, clearing up any lingering questions about the dress code. This is the kind of communication HR needs to strive for- bold, confident, and leaving nothing to the imagination.”

I’ll share my 4th most-read post next week. If you don’t want to miss any of my posts, you can subscribe to Talent Vanguard in the upper right hand corner of this page.